Downyflake Building Demolished, Owners Hopeful To Find New Home

The Downyflake’s former home was demolished Thursday morning as the lots stretching from 18 to 26 Sparks Avenue continue to be cleared – making way for the new residential-commercial development that will be mixed-use and feature two buildings that will include 32 housing units, a restaurant, along with an eight-lane bowling alley.

Chris Fiumara, the owner of Boston-based Crowd Lending Inc. and the lead developer of the residential-commercial development, was hopeful to see the restaurant remain The Downyflake. However, he was informed in early January by Ron Oldham and Pate Kennedy, who have owned The Downyflake since 2014, that they will not be a part of this new development.

“Ron told Chris Fiumara about our decision directly," Kennedy told the Current. "There are a number of reasons why we made this decision, but foremost is the reality that the estimated date for the completion of the renovation project is so far away.”

Kennedy said this week that Fiumara has always been good to them and wished him, his partners, and future tenants at the new development "great success."

“It will be The Downyflake,” Fiumara said confidently in September. “I will be 100 percent on top of making sure that happens. I’ve talked to three or four potential operators, people who are looking to go in and continue the tradition. They (Pate Kennedy and Ron Oldham) will be talking to them, I’ll facilitate that, because they’re willing and want to continue the tradition of the island.”

The good news for those who enjoy the Downyflake is that part of the reason Kennedy and Oldham declined to join the new development is because they would like to be back up and running sooner rather than later. Kennedy said she and Oldham are continuing to search for a new home to carry on one of the island’s most iconic restaurants.

“Ron & I are anxious to get working again,” Kennedy said. “We love working with the incredible staff that we have in place. As importantly, we miss the daily interactions with our regular customers. So we are working on options to get the Downyflake up and running soon."

The completion of the development is currently slated for the fall of 2026. Some of the details of the development, as approved by the Planning Board in November of 2023, include:

• Building size: 18,000 square feet
• Three above-ground floors, no basement
• 8-lane bowling alley
• Arcade
• 50-seat restaurant
• Take-out restaurant
• 32 apartments, including 56 bedrooms
• 85 on-site parking spaces